Social Impact

NBA Mission: Inspire and Connect People Everywhere Through The Power of Basketball

As part of the NBA’s mission we will continue to use our influence to effect change around a wide range of issues, including racial equality, health and wellness, education, environmental responsibility and sustainability, and diversity and inclusion. Our work in these areas all fall within the below programs and initiatives.

NBA Cares

NBA Cares is the league’s global social responsibility program that unites people and communities through the game of basketball and shines a light on important social issues – including race, gender, LGBTQ and health equity, education, physical and mental health and wellness, environmental responsibility, and youth, family and community development.

NBA Foundation

Established in August 2020, the NBA Foundation is the league’s first-ever charitable foundation dedicated to driving economic opportunity for Black youth in NBA markets across the United States and Canada. The Foundation invests in local and national organizations that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities. To date, it has provided more than $105 million in grant support to 227 nonprofit organizations impacting 80,000 Black youth in all 28 NBA markets.

National Basketball Social Justice Coalition

The National Basketball Social Justice Coalition is an organization of players, coaches, team governors, and executives leading the NBA family’s advocacy work to advance social justice.

NBA Diversity and Inclusion

At the NBA, we celebrate our common love of the game, building connections that enable us to leverage our differences. Basketball transcends all dimensions of diversity – those you can see, and those you can’t. We practice inclusion through recruiting and development, culture and economic engagement.

HBCUs

The NBA’s ongoing support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) focuses on creating greater opportunity for students and alumni through professional development, career advancement, and increased support and awareness for HBCU athletics and institutions. Core components of this work include the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program and the NBA HBCU Classic.

Morehouse College, Tuskegee University to play in 2025 HBCU Classic

Morehouse College and Tuskegee University men’s basketball programs have been selected to compete in the 2025 NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T as part of NBA All-Star 2025 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The teams were selected in collaboration with the SIAC due to their rich traditions, on-court rivalry and commitment to excellence.

Our Programs in Action

Maxey Named NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award Offseason Winner

Tyrese Maxey has been named the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award Offseason Winner for his efforts in supporting youth in Philadelphia and his hometown of Dallas through the Tyrese Maxey Foundation.  Maxey will receive the Bob Lanier trophy, and the NBA will donate $10,000 to the Tyrese Maxey Foundation.

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Celebrate Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Week

From October 12-18, all 30 NBA teams will host youth basketball development events and programming in their local communities! We encourage you, our Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA family, to celebrate by participating and following us and your favorite NBA teams on social media!

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Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns named 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion

Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been named the 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion and received the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy. Towns was selected from a group of five finalists for his dedication to pursuing social justice and upholding Abdul-Jabbar and the league’s decades-long values of equality, respect and inclusion.

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NBA Arenas Achievements in Sustainability

NBA arenas are helping to lead the way in creating a more sustainable environment for sports and their local community. They are consistently leveraging their unique position to educate fans of the game on ways to be more sustainable, while also taking action behind the scenes to implement new internal processes for a more positive environmental impact. These efforts continue to grow across the country to help create a cleaner, cooler future.

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NBA Foundation Surpasses $100 Million In Grants

The NBA Foundation recently passed the $100 million threshold in grants distributed – a milestone achievement but far from the end of this group’s mission. The Foundation is working to invest $300 million in creating economic empowerment in Black communities.

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Advancing Social Justice Together

December 2023 marked the third anniversary of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. We are proud to celebrate the work the NBA community has done alongside the advocates, impacted individuals, government officials, and policy experts who have inspired us in the fight for justice.

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NBA Social Impact Report

The NBA embraces our responsibility to the communities where we live, work and play and the unique power we have to use our platform and resources to create meaningful change. Serving those connected to our game is the foundation of our impact around the world.

This report outlines the work of our league, teams and players over the past season that have helped break down barriers, create meaningful connections and support important causes. Together, the NBA family has used its collective influence to make a meaningful impact in communities in the United States and around the world.

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FAQ: NBA Cares

Launched in 2005, NBA Cares serves as the league’s global social responsibility platform, fulfilling the NBA’s mission by working to address important social issues. Working alongside internationally recognized youth serving organizations, the NBA family has provided more than 6.2 million hours of hands-on service and helped create more than 2,041 places where kids and families can live, learn or play in 40 countries and territories.

All 30 NBA Teams work throughout the season to identify specific needs and challenges facing their communities and partner with local community stakeholders to make an impact through NBA Cares events and programming.

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FAQ: National Basketball Social Justice Coalition

The National Basketball Social Justice Coalition is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that leads the NBA family’s collaborative efforts to advance social justice. The Coalition was formed in 2020 as a joint venture of the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA).

The Coalition leverages the game of basketball’s influence to promote policy, build strategic partnerships, and empower action on racial inequality and social justice.

The Coalition is led by a board of fifteen, including 5 players, 5 team governors, 2 head coaches, the NBA Commissioner, the NBA Deputy Commissioner, and the Executive Director of the NBPA. Day-to-day operations are executed by a team of full-time Coalition employees.

Since tipping off its agenda, the Coalition has advocated on a bipartisan basis for better laws and policies on policing reform, voting rights, community safety and criminal justice reform.

As a 501(c)(4) organization, the Coalition adds new tools to the NBA family’s social impact work—engaging in direct legislative and policy advocacy on justice issues.

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FAQ: NBA Foundation

The Foundation makes grants across the United States and Canada with a specific focus on the NBA’s 28 markets.

The first step in the NBA Foundation’s grantmaking process is submitting a brief application through the Foundation’s grants application portal. Additional instructions can be found here. If you have any questions or technical issues, please direct all inquiries to grants@nba.com 

To be considered for a grant from the NBA Foundation, your organization must meet the following requirements:

  • Qualify as a registered 501(c)3 tax organization or a T3010 if operating in Canada
  • Focus on promoting school-to-career employment opportunities that target Black youth ages 14-24 years old
  • Serve a minimum of 25 youth annually across your programs
  • Have an IRS Form 990 or a 990-EZ
  • Operate in one or more of the NBA’s 28 markets

The Foundation does not support:

  • Direct donations or grants to individuals
  • Individual scholarships or sponsorships
  • Projects or programs primarily focused on serving adults over the age of 25
  • Political campaigns and lobbying efforts
  • After school or Pre-K programs
  • Hospitals

The NBA HBCU Fellowship Program aims to provide career development opportunities in the business of basketball for undergraduate and graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Fellows are selected by NBA teams and the league office to work within a variety of departments, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, legal, social responsibility, and marketing. The Fellowship Program is a paid 10-week summer internship program and will run from June – August.

Yes, we offer both.

The NBA Foundation offers 3 signature programs that support our mission to drive economic opportunity in the Black community through employment and career development. Our programs include the NBA HBCU Fellowship, the All-Star Pitch Competition, and Solveathon. To learn more about our signature programming, visit NBAFoundation.com

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